Quebec:the Story of Three Sieges

Download or read book Quebec:the Story of Three Sieges written by Stephen Manning and published by A&C Black. This book was released on 2009-01-01 with total page 422 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Focusing on the geographical importance of the city of Quebec and the role it played in the Seven Years War and the American War of Independence, Stephen Manning describes visits to the city of important figures such as Benedict Arnold and George Washington. In the fuller context of the Seven Years War, he explains the enormous importance the British attached to the capture of North America from the French. His account of the final battle on the Plains of Abraham is a detailed analysis of General Wolfe's genius and the reasons for his success. But the conflict didn't end with Wolfe's victory: at the battle of St Foy in 1760, the French beat the British and again laid siege to Quebec. The siege failed and, aided by the Royal Navy, the British were finally able to force the French Army back to Montreal and capture Quebec. But Britain's relationship with her new North American colonial subjects quickly turned sour, leading directly to the outbreak of war with America. The final siege of Quebec was by the Americans in 1776. It failed, securing the future of Canada as a separate political entity. A thrilling tale told with consummate skill and real narrative pace, Quebec: The Story of Three Sieges offers an exciting new perspective on the events that changed the face of North America. "Could the People in the Town, and Seamen, be depended upon, I should flatter myself, we might hold out, till the Navigation opens next Spring ... I think our Fate extremely doubtful, to say nothing worse." Sir Guy Carleton, British governor of Quebec, 1775